


Liv does Kurofai Week 2018

by eternal_song



Category: Shiritsu Horitsuba Gakuen, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Horitsuba in the last entry only, Kurofai Week 2018, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 09:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16658257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternal_song/pseuds/eternal_song
Summary: My entries forKurofai weekin 2018 (November 5th - 12th)These are all very short, but hopefully enjoyable as well!





	1. Mirrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crossposted on [tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/179807746856/kurofai-week-day-1-mirrors)

When Fai was young, he always did his best to avoid mirrors. The pain was still too fresh in his mind, and even with his hair cut short around his neck, he always had a split second of thinking that his reflection was someone else. So he covered the mirror in his room, he didn't look too hard at the surface of any still water, and he avoided polished metal surfaces as best as he could.

It should have gotten easier as he grew up and his appearance matured, but it didn’t. All he could see was the man that the real Fai could have become. Should have become, had he not been murdered by his own brother.

 

* * *

 

As Kurogane passed puberty and into adulthood, he began avoiding mirrors. His mother had always told him that he looked like his father, but it hadn’t really meant much to him until one day he looked into one and saw his father’s face gazing back. That day he nearly sent his sparring partner to the infirmary.

He knew, in his heart, that his parents wouldn’t be proud of the path he had chosen. They would tell him not to live for revenge, and to remember what true strength was. But if he gave up on his revenge, what else did he have? He hadn’t been strong enough to protect those he loved, and now when he looked in the mirror all he could see was his father staring back at him in disappointment.

He put the mirror at the bottom of a chest of clothing and did not take it out again.

 

* * *

 

Fai found that now, at the end of their journey and the beginning of a new one, he didn’t mind seeing his reflection when it was in Kurogane’s red eyes. The man saw through all of his facades and delusions to the core of him, where he was still a little bit Yūi, the boy who just wanted someone to love him.

Kurogane was willing to be that someone, and Fai was finally willing to let him.

 

* * *

 

Kurogane liked the man he saw reflected back at him now. He finally understood what his father had meant by “true strength”, and he no longer saw an image of the man in the mirror. He saw Kurogane Yōō, the man who would give up blood and an arm to keep the ones he loved alive and safe. He saw a man who could save others and, in the process, be saved from his own self-destructive tendencies.

Kurogane had gotten his revenge, yes, but he found that it mattered far less than everything else he had gained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anything needs tagging for this or the rest of the chapters, please let me know!


	2. Soul Searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On [tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/179850945131/kurofai-week-day-2-soul-searching)

Kurogane's wrist had stopped bleeding shortly after Fai finished drinking from it. It didn't even sting anymore. What stung was how the mage fled the room as quickly as he could and went to sulk with the princess instead. Kurogane watched the closed door for several minutes before sighing and turning to the window. The feeling of being watched was still there, but really, what was there for anyone to see? Just a small family tearing itself apart from the inside.   
  
Sometimes he wondered why he was fighting so hard at a losing battle.   
  
Well, that was a lie. He knew why he was doing it, and he knew that he couldn't stop himself if he tried. He just didn't know what he would do when he finally lost. The last time had nearly destroyed him, and now that he looked back he realized just how damaged he'd been. If he lost another family, would he even be able to make it back to Tomoyo-hime, or would he simply let himself be lost to the bloodlust and rage again?   
  
He had, once, let himself believe that he was making progress. That he was getting the mage to finally come out from behind his walls. He'd thought that he'd seen some of his own feelings reflected in Fai's actions, and he'd let himself hope that they would grow closer. And they had, for a while, but the mage had gotten scared by it, and everything in Tokyo happened, and it fell apart. No one had escaped unscathed. Now Fai hated him, and Sakura had been broken and healed sharp-edged, and the new Syaoran was all but a stranger.   
  
Surely a sane man would have cut his losses. To his credit, Kurogane had never been accused of sanity.   
  
The thing was, the mage expected Kurogane to give up on him. He was pushing for it as hard as he could. But that only made Kurogane just want to hold on to him tighter, and to show him that he would never give up. Sometimes it scared Kurogane, how tight he wanted to hold on.   
  
It scared Kurogane more to think of what would happen if he did let go.    
  
He wouldn't let go. Not of the mage, or the princess, or even this new Syaoran who, through no fault of his own, was not the one they all wanted. Kurogane would keep them all close to the best of his abilities, and he knew that, this time, he had the strength necessary to do it.   
  
Even if he lost everything, he refused to live with the regret of could-have-beens.   
  
He closed the curtains and went to get some sleep.


	3. Pet Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On [Tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/179876602866/kurofai-week-day-3-pet-names)

Names were a complicated thing in their relationship. When Fai first started calling Kurogane by silly nicknames, it was a tactic to annoy the man and keep him from getting too close. The latter part of that hadn't worked, of course. Those names had slowly turned into terms of endearment without Fai even knowing it.   
  
Kurogane only called anyone but Tomoyo-hime by name in extreme circumstances. Most people were given some type of moniker instead. He called Fai mage, and moron, and other such names that weren't really endearing at all. Fai secretly didn't mind when Kurogane would call him “idiot” with that exasperated tone and bonk him on the head. Not that he would admit that to him or stop pretending to complain about it, of course.   
  
Fai only rarely called Kurogane by his full name anymore. When he he had done it regularly, it had been for the purpose of hurting Kurogane. He didn't want to do that anymore. Nowadays he only used it when he was genuinely angry, concerned, or afraid for Kurogane's safety.  He would also use it during especially good sex, but nobody else had to know that.   
  
(He had a feeling Syaoran may have accidentally found that out one night that they had adjacent rooms at an inn.)   
  
Kurogane would sometimes call Fai by name when he especially needed the man to pay attention. Fai still got lost in his own head sometimes, and while Kurogane respected his need for space at times, he didn't want to leave him alone for too long. Usually, sitting next to him and saying his name once was enough to pull him out of his reverie.   
  
And then there were the names reserved for their most intimate moments. The moments when they were completely alone. In those moments, Fai would let himself marvel at this man whose love and loyalty he'd somehow earned. In dark rooms lit only by moonlight, or a bed lit by the rosy light of morning, he would whisper into the space between them like it was the most wonderful secret in all the worlds, and Kurogane would respond in kind.   
  
"Yōō."   
  
"Yūi."


	4. Rough Around the Edges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on [Tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/179914119576/kurofai-week-day-4-rough-around-the-edges)

Fai may have been raised in court life, knowing the ins and outs of societal manners, but he could admit that his interpersonal skills were... Lacking. Oh, sure, he could fake it. He knew how to be charming. He could convince people to do things for him through flattery and a fake-sincere smile. But actually getting close to people was difficult for him; he hadn't had much practice at it, after all.   
  
It hadn't been a problem before, when all he wanted was to keep his distance from his traveling companions and fulfill his goal of bringing his brother back. He had thought that his inability to honestly connect with people would be a blessing. He hadn't counted on Kurogane slamming through all his walls with brute force. The man had seen through his charming veneer to the scared and hesitant person Fai was inside, and he'd dragged that person to the forefront kicking and screaming.   
  
Fai had only been able to resist for so long before he gave in to Kurogane's unique way of showing his love, and now he wanted to return the affection that he'd been given, which brought him back to the problem at hand. Fai had no idea what to do.

 

He highly doubted that, after everything they’d been through, he could scare Kurogane off with a clumsy attempt at romance. That wasn’t what he was worried about. He just… wanted to get it right.

 

Kurogane met each of Fai’s clumsy attempts with an equally clumsy one of his own. It made Fai feel better to know that Kurogane wasn’t good at this either. The man may be more in touch with his emotions now than he’d been at the start of their journey, but he still sucked at expressing them.

 

“We sure make a fine pair, don’t we Kuro-chan?” Fai observed. He’d just had to listen to Kurogane laughing at him for five solid minutes after he’d attempted to use a pick-up line. The only reason that Fai wasn’t pouting at the ninja was because it had, in fact, been a truly bad line, and he’d been hoping to get a smile from the man. Kurogane gently bonked him on the head and smirked.

 

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I like it.”

 

Fai beamed at Kurogane and slipped under the man’s arm so it was around his shoulders.

 

“I do too.” he sighed, laying his head against Kurogane’s collarbone.

 

“You don’t have to try so hard, you know. We’re figuring it out together.”

Fai looked up into Kurogane’s sincere face and nodded. Their relationship still had some rough edges, but so did they as people. They had time to smooth them out together.


	5. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on [Tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/179946888211/kurofai-week-day-5-family-matters)

“You may be wondering why I’ve gathered you all here today,” Fai said from his place at the head of the kitchen table. Syaoran, Sakura, Kurogane, and Mokona were all sitting around him and each wore a different expression. Mokona looked excited. Sakura seemed curious while Syaoran was clearly concerned. Kurogane just looked  _ done. _

“Well the sooner you tell us, the sooner we can all go,” he groused. Fai just laughed and patted him on the hand, then turned to the children.

“Well, it has come to my attention that Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan are growing up, and becoming fine young adults,” Fai said, a note of pride in his voice. Both teens blushed at his words. “As such, there are certain matters that I believe you are old enough to discuss, and as your guardians during this journey, it falls on Kuro-pii and I to explain them.”

“Mage, this had better not be about what I think it is.” Kurogane’s eyebrow was twitching in a way that signalled his growing annoyance. Fai laughed and leaned against him.

“What’s the matter, Kuro-rin?” he asked, batting his eyelashes. “Are you shy? I won’t judge you if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Syaoran shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Um, Fai-san…” he began. Fai looked over at him and smiled encouragingly. The boy took a fortifying breath and continued. “Is this about you and Kurogane-san being together? Because I already knew about that.”

Fai froze. He felt Kurogane go still as well. To his horror, both Sakura and Mokona nodded in agreement.

“So did I,” Sakura said, clasping her hands together. “I think it’s very sweet!”

“Yep! It was  _ suuuuuper _ obvious!” Mokona agreed.

As subtly as he could, Fai straightened up and away from Kurogane.

“Ah, no, that wasn’t exactly what I was going to say,” he said, rallying quickly. “But thank you for your support.”

“Mage…” Kurogane growled, and Fai kept talking before Kurogane could get any further.

“I think it’s time that you two learn about the birds and the bees.”

That got him twin head tilts from the teens, but Mokona began giggling shamelessly. Fai snuck a glance at Kurogane’s face to find that the man had blanched.

“But I already know about those?” Sakura’s voice pitched upwards into a question. Fai reached out and patted her on the top of her head.

“No, no, it’s just a euphemism, Sakura-chan,” he reassured her. A dawning look of horror was beginning to spread across Syaoran’s face. “You see, I actually wanted to talk about what happens between two people who love each other very—”

He was interrupted by the sharp screech and clatter of a dining chair as Syaoran stood and knocked it over.

“Nope I don’t want to hear about this not again ok good talk bye!” he shouted and ran out of the room. Fai raised an eyebrow as he watched him leave. When he turned back to Sakura, he saw that her expression had turned to one of understanding.

“It’s ok, Fai-san,” She said brightly. “I once walked in on Tōya and Yukito when they were supposed to be looking over paperwork, so Father had to explain to me what was happening.”

“Mokona knows too!”

Fai blinked at them.

“Well,” he said. “I suppose that means we don’t have to talk about it then.”

Sakura stood, bowed, and then took Mokona with her to go comfort Syaoran. There was a long and awkward silence, and when Fai finally looked back at Kurogane, he saw the man cradling his head in his palms with his elbows braced against the table.

“Doing all right there, Kuro-tan?”

Kurogane took a deep breath and spoke without ever lifting his head.

“If you ever,” he growled, “make me listen to something like that ever again, I will shave your hair in your sleep.”

“Aww, what’s the matter, Kuro-wan? You don’t want to talk about the birds and the bees with me?”

Kurogane raised his head just enough to look at Fai.

“I’d rather do something a little more hands-on than just talking about it,” he said.

Fai could feel his face heating up, but agreed almost instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fai: Kuro-sama, tell the kids about the birds and the bees  
> Kurogane: They're disappearing at an alarming rate.


	6. Got My Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on [Tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/179985308376/kurofai-week-day-6-got-my-back)

“Kuro-sama, how are you this tense? It feels like I’m pushing on steel cables!” Fai said, digging the heel of his palm further into Kurogane’s shoulder blade. The man grunted a little bit, but then sighed as the knot in the muscle began to release under the mage’s skilled hands.

“Shut up, mage, that was a hard battle, and I didn’t get to just sit around flinging magic at things.” Fai thought it said something about his skill at this that Kurogane’s words had absolutely no bite to them. He leaned over and kissed the back of his neck, just where the man’s hairline began. The short hairs bristled against his face pleasantly.

“I know. Kuro-ninja looked great out there, all covered in monster blood. Very sexy.”

“You have some goddamn weird kinks, you know that?”

Fai just dug his thumb a little more firmly than necessary into another hard knot in Kurogane’s trapezius. The ninja beneath him hissed, but didn’t try to squirm away.

Fai had begun doing this for Kurogane after their battle in the ruins of Clow country, as a way to alleviate some of the pain from his prosthetic arm. It had continued from there into a regular post-battle ritual. Even now, after getting a new arm in piffle that didn’t hurt him so badly or leave him bleeding when he pushed himself, Kurogane still allowed Fai to do this for him. Fai enjoyed it as well. Kurogane’s back was marvellous. The expanse of tan skin, littered with small scars from his unskilled youth, covered firm muscles that still gave way satisfyingly when manipulated just right.

Fai leaned over to speak directly into Kurogane’s ear.

“Thank you for protecting me back there. I hadn’t noticed the one sneaking up behind me.”

Kurogane tilted his head just a fraction and reached up to cup Fai’s jaw.

“Maybe you should spend more time watching your own back instead of mine,” he teased.

“Impossible,” Fai murmured against his mouth, then sank into the kiss that he offered.


	7. Explosive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on [Tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/180024920536/kurofai-week-day-7-explosive)

“Mage… What are you doing.” Kurogane’s voice was flat as he watched Fai fiddle with the current world’s version of a mobile phone. He was attaching some wires that led between it and another device of some sort, and the whole thing was sitting precariously close to a beaker of some liquid. All of this was set up on the front lawn of the house they were currently occupying, in full view of anyone who cared to look.

“Why, Kuro-chi, I’m experimenting,” he said, not bothering to look up.

“What kind of experiment.”

“Well, you know how in the last world, Syaoran-kun and I ended up watching a lot of television?”

“Yes…”

“Well, we got really into this one show, where the hosts would try to take silly stories that people tell and try to prove them false.”

Kurogane raised an eyebrow and gestured to the setup.

“And all of this relates to that… how?”

“Ok, well, there was one story that cell phones can make gasoline explode. Now, this world’s cell phones are different, and they use fuel made of vegetables instead of fossil fuel, but I wanted to see if anything would happen.”

“Mage.”

Fai finally looked up at Kurogane and gave him his most innocent grin, which definitely meant that he knew how much trouble he was causing.

“Yes, Kuro-wanwan?”

“How did this end on TV? Did it actually work?”

“Oh, well, no.” Fai looked momentarily upset about that, but then he brightened. “They just ended up attaching an explosive to the phone and blowing it up that way.”

Kurogane just stared at the insane man in front of him for a moment. Finally, he sighed. He had long since learned when it was useless to argue, and now was one of those times.

“Fine. Hand me some safety glasses, you menace.”

Fai cheered, and then handed Kurogane another pair of shatterproof glasses.

“I was actually going to stand behind that tree and set it off remotely, but the glasses are good to have anyway.” Fai said, then elbowed Kurogane playfully. “I’m not completely irresponsible.”

“Yes you are.”

They stood behind the tree and Kurogane watched as Fai used a spark of magic to activate the device, which then blew up the phone and the beaker and lit the liquid within ablaze.

“Woo-hoo!” Fai called out. “That was even better than I expected!”

Kurogane had to admit that the explosion had been very enjoyable to watch. After a moment, he looked back over at Fai.

“Say, idiot.”

“Yes, Kuro-pipi?”

“Were there any other good explosions in this show of yours?”

The way Fai’s eyes lit up with manic glee was pretty gratifying.

“Yes!” the mage was actually jumping up and down in his excitement. “My favorite was the one where they blew up an entire cement truck.”

Kurogane looked up at the heavens, weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he settled on “fuck it”. They wouldn’t be in this world long anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then Syaoran manages to stop them pulling a GTA with a cement truck, bless his soul.


	8. Free Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on [Tumblr](http://evig-sang.tumblr.com/post/180058713971/kurofai-week-day-8-free-day)

The first time that Fai got locked into the janitor’s closet with Kurogane, he hadn’t thought much on it behind how uncomfortable it was being in such a confined space with the man’s elbows. The second time they were at least in the cupboard of a teacher’s lounge, so they had space to move around each other and Fai had space to think that it was weird that it had happened again. The third time, they were in Kurogane’s office, and Fai was sure that something was going on.

“Kuro-tan-sensei, I think someone has set us up!” he said, perching on the corner of Kurogane’s desk next to where the man had thunked his head down onto it. He reached out and patted the spiky hair.

“What could possibly make you say that.” Kurogane’s voice was flat as a board.

“Well, you know, it’s like that saying goes.” Fai tapped his chin in thought. “Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is an enemy action.”

Kurogane lifted his head and glared up at the blond.

“So you’re saying that the Witch is doing this?”

“Kuro-pon, you shouldn’t be calling our boss a witch!” Fai said with a giggle. “And she’s not our enemy, either. I just think that someone is trying to set us up.”

“Set us up for what?”

“Haven’t you ever watched a romcom?”

Kurogane blanched and sat up straight in his desk chair.

“They want us to… what, get together?” he pointed an accusing finger at the door he hadn’t been able to unlock. “Don’t they have anything better to do?”

Fai laughed again and leaned down to whisper in Kurogane’s ear.

“I suppose we really aren’t very subtle,” he said. His expression looked a little bit apologetic. “I know you didn’t want to make a big announcement when we got together, but I think we may need to. Just to stop our well-intentioned but misinformed cupid.”

Kurogane made a small “tch” noise. He reached up a hand and carded it through Fai’s shaggy hair. Leaning into the touch, Fai shut his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Kurogane’s callused hand against his temple.

“It’s not my fault that they’re not observant enough,” Kurogane said.

“They’ll have to come back for us eventually. What do you say we give them a show?”

Kurogane’s answer was a firm kiss. His hand went from caressing to gently holding Fai’s head in place, and Fai sighed happily into it. He brought his arms up and around Kurogane’s shoulders, then decided that that wasn’t enough contact, so he slid from the desk into the taller man’s lap. Meanwhile, Kurogane’s other hand snaked into Fai’s lab coat and began toying with his turtleneck. He untucked the shirt and slid his hand up onto Fai’s back, caressing the knobs of Fai’s spine.

Fai had just begun to forget that they were still trapped in the office when suddenly the lock clicked and the door opened.

“Fai-sensei? Kurogane-sensei?” came Sakura’s tentative voice. Fai reluctantly broke away from Kurogane. He turned a sunny smile on the girl, who was blushing up to her hairline.

“Oh, Sakura-chan! Did Yūko-sensei finally allow you to let us out?”

Sakura let out a small “eep!” and nodded.

“She said… she said that “you two surely must have figured yourselves out by now.’” Sakura was looking everywhere except at them. Kurogane made an exasperated noise.

“Meddling witch.”

“Thank you, Sakura-chan, but please tell her that her meddling actually came too late, ok?” Fai beamed at the girl, who nodded and jumped at the excuse to leave. He then looked back down at Kurogane and let his smile turn mischievous. “Shall we take this to my place? Or just continue right here?”

Kurogane’s answering grin was absolutely feral.

“Why wait?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love me some Horitsuba Kurofai


End file.
